Companies should offer paid leave and a greater choice of activities if they are to successfully engage staff in community projects, according to new research from Volunteering England’s Institute for Volunteering Research (IVR) and the National Centre for Social Research. Half of the employees questioned about their organisation’s volunteering scheme said that having paid time off would encourage them “a lot” to participate, and nearly as many (42%) would be motivated by a wider range of volunteering opportunities.
The findings come from new research based on the 2007 Helping Out national survey for volunteering and charitable giving, the most comprehensive study of its kind in a decade. The number of employees with access to ESV schemes has increased from 16% ten years ago to 36% today, but the proportion of employees taking up the scheme has remained steady at 29%.
The research will be launched at Volunteering England’s Employer Supported Volunteering Symposium, which is taking place in London on 13 February and is supported by the Ashridge Centre for Business and Society, part of Ashridge Business School.
An additional online survey on Volunteering England’s website found that evidence of a scheme’s ability to recruit and retain staff would be most likely to persuade a company to adopt an ESV scheme, with 45% of the vote. Having a CEO/ senior management team who volunteered was the second most popular choice, while “pressure from Government” came last with only 10%, indicating a preference for persuasion rather than compulsion.
Cathy Mc Bain, head of employer supported volunteering at VE and an author of the report, said:
“It is very encouraging to see such a significant increase in the number of employees with access to ESV schemes, but employers must address the barriers of limited time and narrow activity options if they are to increase take up. I would encourage anyone looking to start a scheme from scratch or improve their existing one to attend the symposium and learn from some of the best in the business.”
Inge Woudstra-Van Grondelle, Principal Researcher, at Ashridge Centre for Business and Society, said:
“Both businesses and voluntary organisations will get more benefits from corporate volunteering by entering into long term relationships rather than one off, ad hoc activities. The symposium will give many more insights into how to build leading volunteering schemes that add value to both parties.”
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Case study
Dave McGlinchey, Yorkshire Water management accountant
“I joined Yorkshire Water’s volunteering programme initially through already being a school governor. When the company started holding support groups for governors I was happy to join and share learning experiences with colleagues.
“Since then I have taken part in various team building challenges across Yorkshire where the company’s volunteers have been involved in helping different communities, whether it be painting a church hall or helping to renovate a community centre.
“I get a lot of personal satisfaction from volunteering – it’s a great way to meet new people and strengthen relationships with those I already know. It’s also important to know you are making a difference to people’s lives, whether it's in a school, going on woodland walks for the disabled or helping with third world water provision.”
Notes to editors
- For more information or interviews please contact Cat Dean on 020 7520 8932 or email cat.dean@volunteeringengland.org. Case studies are also available on request. For out of hours enquiries contact Sonya Roberts on 07952 128 057
- To book a place please visit www.volunteering.org.uk/symposium , email events@volunteeringengland.org or call 020 7520 8928
- Other findings from the report:
- 45% of public sector employees said their employer had an ESV scheme, compared with 30% in the private sector
- Employees of large private sector companies (over 250 staff) were more likely to have an ESV scheme available (47%) than those who worked for a medium sized (20%) or small company (14%)
- The most common model (33%) for ESV schemes was for employers to support staff to volunteer in their own time. However, 27% indicated that their employer gave them paid time off to volunteer and 17% were given flexi time.
- 54% of employees without access to an ESV scheme said they would like to have one. - 182 people responded to the online survey. When asked: What do you think would make businesses most likely to adopt an ESV scheme? : 44% voted for “Evidence that it helped recruit and retain staff”; 19%, “a CEO/ senior management team who volunteer themselves”; 14% “positive testimonials from other companies”; 13% “greater staff resources” and 10%, “pressure from Government”.
- Volunteering England aims to improve the quality, quantity, impact and accessibility of volunteering throughout England. For more information please visit www.volunteering.org.uk
- The Helping Out survey was carried out for the Cabinet office by the Institute for Volunteering Research and the National Centre for Social Research.
- Established in 1959, Ashridge is one of the world’s leading business schools. Through its Centre for Business and Society, Ashridge has been for over a decade at the forefront of debates on the changing role of business in wider society. www.ashridge.org.uk. Media enquires: Toby Roe on 01442 841289 or email toby.roe@ashridge.org.uk
- The Volunteering England Convention Transforming Passion into Power: Volunteering at the heart of social change is being held on 23-25 April 2008. Make sure the dates are in your diary. For regular updates, www.volunteering.org.uk/convention
